Winter Is Still Here

It's snowing again. It's not Boston, and we haven't really gotten a lot of snow for this area this Winter, but there was still patchy snow on the ground (and some of those patches were 5 or more inches deep, depending on how much shade or sunlight affected the spot) and today's snow is evening things out some and making things look pretty again. It won't last long, though; the forecast is for it to change to a mix of sleet and freezing rain this afternoon and then all the way to rain later tonight. Oh well... At least for now it looks pretty again. I decided I needed to walk through the Dykeman Spring Nature Park at the height of the snowfall, so here are some scenes from the walk. Enjoy!

A Northern Flicker up in a tree along the Dykeman Walking Trail by the ball fields

A stream winds its way through the snow in the wetlands

Up on the upland meadow looking from the western end

Looking across the wetlands as the snow comes down harder

The wetlands with the Purple Martin house

A stretch of the Dykeman Walking Trail

Branch Creek between the ball fields with its "bridges"

And finally back home, looking across the street at the gazebo

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

Here and There

Today was errands day, and I kept my eye out for interesting things while I was out running them. Tomorrow I'll have some more Nature shots as I'll have the day free and it'll be snowing again. I love taking shots in the snow!

I've been meaning to get a shot of this shed window on Lutz Ave. for a while. I finally got around to it.

This car on Fort Rd. obviously hasn't been moved in a while

This window on Burd St. is still decorated for Winter

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

From This Morning's Walk

On the way to the grocery store again this morning; here are the things that caught my attention as I walked through the Dykeman Spring Nature Park.

A Carolina Wren was foraging in the wetlands

Br'er Fox passed this way earlier in the morning

A hole melted in the snow reveals the fractal basis of the white stuff

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

Out For a Walk

It was a very cold day today; I even needed earmuffs! So today's walk to the grocery store was a brisk one, but I did manage to get a few shots that caught my eye on the way. Enjoy!

Branch Creek and its "bridges" between the ball fields

Mallards on the creek in the Dykeman Spring wetlands

I walked down the tracks from the nature park and found a train heading for Harrisburg

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

On the Tracks Again

The railroad tracks going through Shippensburg follow two routes that merge (or split, depending on which way you're heading) at the Queen St./Baltimore Rd. overpass. I'm pretty sure the tracks that run about two blocks behind my house aren't used any more; I've never seen a train on them. It's these tracks that I follow out into the country to the Mennonite bulk foods store on Rowe Rd., and it's these that I followed in the opposite direction today to head for my regular grocery store. As you can see from the photos, we still have some snow hanging around. And alas, no train passed this time.

The tracks just a couple of blocks behind my house

The trestle over Earl St.

The railroad crossing at Penn St.

Approaching the Queen St./Baltimore Rd. overpass

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

On the Way to the Grocery Store...

... I walked through the Dykeman Spring Nature Park to get more photos of the park adorned in its cloak of snow. It was a bright and cold day, and shadows and reflections played a large part in the things that caught my eye on the walk. Enjoy!

Bird tracks and plant shadows etch designs on the snow in the wetland area

Canada geese (and two Mallard ducks) swim in the reflection of the Hatch House

Windswept snow and meadow grass on the upland meadow

A view of Blue Mountain from the upland meadow. As you can see from the tracks in the snow, the upland meadow is a popular sledding site.

Battleground! Two opposing snow forts just outside the east end of the meadow.

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

A Snowy Nature Park

We got some more snow after I got home yesterday, plus some more last night and this morning. Not a lot, just a few more inches, but it brought the total up to around 6 inches, and that's a nice, scenic cover. So I went for a walk in the Dykeman Spring Nature Park this morning; here's what I saw.

The Dykeman Walking Trail in snow

The view south from the railroad underpass, Dykeman Walking Trail

Picnic area, Dykeman Spring Nature Park

A panoramic view of the Dykeman Spring wetlands

The bridge over the creek in the Dykeman Spring Nature Park

The view north from the railroad underpass, Dykeman Walking Trail

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

Some More Snow

We had 3 or 4 inches of some very wet snow on Saturday morning that melted down to patches pretty quickly. Then last night we had a slow-moving Alberta Clipper move in, along with temperatures that dropped quickly into the low 20s (around -5º C) and gave us some fine, powdery snow overnight and this morning. I can't tell exactly how much we got because a stiff breeze has been blowing it around; my best guess is around 2 or 3 inches. I'm off today and tomorrow (and back to walking normally), but I was running a tad late with my errands today, so I got just a few shots on the way to the grocery store. I'll go farther afield tomorrow. Meanwhile, here are some snowy Shippensburg shots from today.

Branch Creek at King St.

The in-town farm on Hockersmith Ave.

A snowy side yard along Queen St.

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

Snow-Covered Rocks

We got a couple of inches of snow from another Alberta Clipper yesterday, but I couldn't get out to play in it. I did something to my right knee Tuesday and yesterday that knee was swollen and hot and I could only manage a lurching hobble in the apartment. I spent the day on the couch with Ibuprofen and an ice pack, and today it's way better, so I ventured out to do errands. I didn't want to push it with a hike through the park and the meadow (it's still somewhat stiff and I limp just a bit) so I went via the back alleys to the grocery store. And found these snow-covered rocks in an open-space public area at the corner of Ridge Ave. and Walnut St. Very Zen! 

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

Whee! A Train!

Today I took a different route to the grocery store. Oh, I still visited the Dykeman Spring Nature Park, but this time instead of going up to the meadow I decided to climb up to the railroad tracks that run elevated through the park and follow them up to Baltimore Rd. And I was rewarded; a train actually came through when I was just at the right spot for good pictures. So I got shots of the engine approaching, the train passing under the Baltimore Rd. overpass, and a shot of the tracks under the overpass where all the go-no go lights and switches are. Enjoy!

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

Wait! What?

These scenes made me do a double take while out running errands today.

Have a seat; the wait shouldn't be too long.

I guess somebody thought they were cold.

Guardian gnomes, posted to prevent dish theft, perhaps?

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

A Foggy Sunday Morning

My first photo walk of the new year just happened to coincide with a really foggy morning; a prime photogenic setting to start the year off! I went walking through the Dykeman Spring Nature Park to check out the sights. I discovered that it was much foggier up on the meadow than down in the wetland. Still, that air of mystery that fog spreads over the landscape prevailed over all and set a mood for this year's first photo shoot. Enjoy!

© 2015 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

Happy New Year!

A wee dram to toast the New Year. Slainte!

© 2014 by A. Roy Hilbinger

Last Shots of 2014

It's getting colder again as the year draws to an end, and the ice is starting to creep out on still water around town. Since I'll be working tomorrow, the last day of 2014, the shots I took yesterday and today will be the last of the year. Here's hoping for some snow soon to get 2015 started off right!

Norway Spruce shot from underneath

Encroaching ice in the Dykeman Spring wetland

Reflections in the north duck pond

© 2014 by A. Roy Hilbinger 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends!

© 2014 by A. Roy Hilbinger